Rear strut rubber bushings

[gerryvz]

An often overlooked maintenance item are the two rubber bushings where the rear struts bolt through the body.

These bushings are inexpensive and over time get quite compressed, and deteriorate with age, heat, ozone, and just plain suspension wear.

They are inexpensive and are a moderate DIY job to replace. They can make a BIG difference in the ride and refinement (noise transmission) of your car.

Here are what they look like for those of you interested. You need two of each.

The part numbers are:

124 326 03 68
201 326 18 68

and are #29 and #23 in the diagram below.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[J. M. van Swaay]

Thanks Gerry, this is just what I was looking for.

I've noticed a very very slight clunkiness in my right rear suspension. SLS and nitro cells are all as they should be...... I'm gonna try replacing these.

J. M. van Swaay

 

[gsxr]

Alternately - item #41 is MB part number 124-320-03-56, which is a kit that includes ALL the mounting hardware (#'s 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, and the two seal rings for the hydraulic connection). The kit is $27 MSRP each (one required for each side). Photo is below:

 

[MercedesBabyBenz]

Hi, I'm new here. I have a 93 500e. There's clunk coming from the rear when the car goes over some bumps.
So I'm thinking about replacing those rubber bushings.
Could you guys please tell where I can get them other than the dealers?

Thanks,

matt

 

[gsxr]

Matt,

AutohausAZ.com sells the kit (OE/dealer parts, btw, not aftermarket) for ~$26 each, so you can get the two required for ~$52 with free shipping. Hard to beat that.

BTW - welcome to the forum!

 

[MercedesBabyBenz]

Matt,

AutohausAZ.com sells the kit (OE/dealer parts, btw, not aftermarket) for ~$26 each, so you can get the two required for ~$52 with free shipping. Hard to beat that.

BTW - welcome to the forum!

Thank you very much for the info, gsxr!
I'll get those and replace the old ones when I have time. I'll post the update later!

Thanks again.

 

[MercedesBabyBenz]

update: I changed out the both rubber bushings on both struts, took a test drive and it seems it improved the passenger side but I could still hear the clunk when going over some bumps on the drive side.
I checked all the bushings, they look just fine, no cracks or visible wears.

 

[gsxr]

If it still clunks with fresh bushings... most likely it's the SLS strut itself that's bad. Those are part number 124-320-42-13, current MSRP is $540 each, or $373 each from Parts.com. I've got the same problem on one of my cars as well... haven't had time or $$$ to replace it, but the rattle isn't bad (yet).

 

[MercedesBabyBenz]

Yeah, it still clunks sometimes and it seems the passenger side is much better than the driver side. I'm going to flush SLS fluid and replace the filter. We'll see if that helps.

 

[szvook]

Have you checked the parking brake assembly?

 

[MercedesBabyBenz]

Have you checked the parking brake assembly?

No, I haven't. Could you please walk me through if you don't mind?

Thanks!


PS: I changed the hydraulic fluid and it seems a little better. the clunk mostly occurs at lower speed.

 

[MERCEDES26]

I bet your problem is the parking brake assembly...as Steve suggested above. I had a clunking noise on my 500E and 300CE at lower speeds over bumps. I found by very slightly depressing the foot brake while driving over the bumps that caused the rattling the noise went away. Put in new brake shoe kit and noise was gone.

Hope this helps

Rick

 

[MercedesBabyBenz]

I bet your problem is the parking brake assembly...as Steve suggested above. I had a clunking noise on my 500E and 300CE at lower speeds over bumps. I found by very slightly depressing the foot brake while driving over the bumps that caused the rattling the noise went away. Put in new brake shoe kit and noise was gone.

Hope this helps

Rick

Thank you for your replay!
My parking brake seems to work fine when I engage it. Should I still take off the wheels and rotors to check the parking shoes?

Thanks,
matt

 

[MERCEDES26]

I am sure the parking works just fine, but the mechanism inside the rotor may rattling a bit when the park brake is disengaged while driving. What I found is that the little cantilever like device, that the park brake cable is attached to inside the rotor hub, can rattle (over bumps) if the either the cable attached to it is a bit slack or this cantilever linkage device is worn.....this is what can cause the noise you may be hearing. That is why I suggest "slightly" depressing the park brake while moving slowly over bumps to see if by taking up any slack on the cable it stops any potential rattling of the mechanism.

If it does, what you may try first (because it is the easiest..!) before taking off the rotor, is turning the adjusting screw bolt at the lever type mechanism where both the park brake cables are connected. This mechanism is located just above the prop shaft towards the rear of the car. Just follow the 2 park brake cables from the wheels and you will where they connect. You will see an adjusting screw bolt.... adjust that up a bit...just enough to snug up any slack that may be in cables and or mechanism due to wear and age.

You can then also try adjusting the brake shoes. You can do this with a flat screw driver through the small hole in the rotors. You will need a flash light to see inside. Jack up and take off one rear wheel (you can just take out one wheel lug but it is easier if you take off the wheel). Make sure the car is secure and disengage the park barke so you can turn the rotor. Turn the rotor until you see through the hole with your flashlite a small toothed adjusting spindle. With the screw driver, engage the teeth and turn the spindle down a couple of times until the rotor binds. Then slacken it off just a bit until the turns freely. Forgive me if I am wrong but I think if you turn the rotor so that the hole is in the 2 o'clock postion for the left wheel and the 10 o'clock on the right rear wheel you should be able to locate this toothed spindle....in anycase, it is in there so you keep turning till you see it.

Otherwise changing the shoes out is straighforward with the replacement kit ....but be warned this can "REALLY" try your patience if you don't have the correct tools to attach the mounting and tensioning springs. Connecting the cable and getting the mechansim linked up will create some creative language...!!! So try this as last resort or if find your shoes worn.

Good luck..

 

[fudgitive]

I replaced these this afternoon, it is a 20 minute job with a trolley jack and a spanner. Taking advice from elsewhere on this forum, I firstly removed the 2 nuts, washer and top bush from inside the trunk, then jacked the car up until the tyre was about 10cm off of the ground, then just pushed down on the wheel and the shock popped right out. Replace washers and rubber parts, repeat procedure to get the shock back into the hole, torque it up with one hand on the shock and the other hand doing the spanner work in the trunk, lower the car and do the same for the other side.

In my case it has not solved the rear end knock over bumps, so I am up for new struts at some point in the future - the ride quality has improved however.

I really need to buy a decent camera, blurry mobile phone shots are a bit sad, but you should get the idea from these pics. Note the substantial difference between the old rubber parts and new.

 

[gsxr]

If it still clunks with fresh bushings... most likely it's the SLS strut itself that's bad.

 

[T-500]

Parts still seem to cost more in Canada, but it sounds worth it to try this.

My rear passenger side "clunks" so I've ordered two of the complete kits. I enquired at the dealer today. They were uncharacteristically helpful.

The upper bushing, 124 326 03 68, was quoted as $4 ea. and available from Toronto, three days wait. The lower bushing, 124 326 18 68, has been superceded with pn, 201 326 18 68, available only from Germany, and "on backorder". I believe the price was $12 ea.

The complete kits, 124 320 03 56, were $40.35 ea ."Special Order" from Toronto.

Fudge: Thanks for the DIY and the pics.

 

[gerryvz]

Most of the time with clunking, it's the SLS struts, not the bushings. New bushings generally just offer better isolation and quietness/smoothness, unless they are TOTALLY degraded. All that said, and I've said this for years (same as motor mounts), it's a highly overlooked and in this case very cheap "fix it" that makes the car very easy to live with and greatly enhances the ownership experience. If you haven't replaced either your motor mounts or your rear strut bushings, and your car has more than 75K on it, it's really a "must do".

 

[T-500]

Thanks Gerry;

My car is sitting at 72,000 MILES right now and I seem to have no other issues.
I consider this just timely maintenance. A "fix" would be another matter, but I should have some life left in my struts at this mileage, I hope.

 

[500ESpain]

Thanks Gerry;

My car is sitting at 72,000 MILES right now and I seem to have no other issues.
I consider this just timely maintenance. A "fix" would be another matter, but I should have some life left in my struts at this mileage, I hope.

Hi,

I've tried to replace the bushings following the procedure described here and driver's side was and easy job but I haven't been able to do the passenger side. The stut doesn't come down, like if it was stuck on top. Any clues?

 

[Allgonquin]

Pull down harder? I don't mean to make light of it but if the top fixing bits are removed, it should just pull down. I am facing this job shortly myself as I have the dreaded clunk. I just have to research how to de-pressurize the hydraulic system when I remove the strut.

 

[gsxr]

I just have to research how to de-pressurize the hydraulic system when I remove the strut.

There is a bleed screw at the SLS valve which allows you to de-pressurize the system. You'll get roughly a pint of fluid out. Don't forget to top off the reservoir when you're done... check the level before you start so you know approx where it should be afterwards.

See job 32-0630:
http://www.w124-zone.com/downloads/MB CD/W124/w124CD2/Program/Chassis/32-0630.pdf

 

[500ESpain]

Great, thanks!

 

[500ESpain]

Great, thanks!

But... shouldn't be equal pressure on both sides?

 

[gsxr]

It will release pressure from both sides (added link in previous post).

 

[500ESpain]

It will release pressure from both sides (added link in previous post).

Thanks, but my point is that I found nearly no pressure in the driver side and a lot in the passenger side. Is that normal or is there something wrong with my system?

 

[gsxr]

Thanks, but my point is that I found nearly no pressure in the driver side and a lot in the passenger side. Is that normal or is there something wrong with my system?

Ah, now I understand. No, that isn't normal... I'd suspect the SLS valve itself. Strange!

 

[500ESpain]

Strange to me too. I've just replaced the valve (with an used one). It all started with the exhaust touching the garage ramp. I suspected the valve because there were no leaks (reservoir, pump, struts) and the spheres were replaced in 2007/ 40000 kms ago (btw, maybe that's too much for them?). As the problem seems to be in the driver side could be just one of the spheres that's bad? Before the exhaust began touching the floor I could hear the suspension working under load (rhytmically, like someone rinsing his mouth). Was that normal?

 

[Christian_K]

Yes is suspect the "spheres" in the trunk as well. They are by the way the actual "dampers".